Ministry of Health receives medical equipment from Japan

AMMAN — A ceremony was held on Thursday at Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II Hospital to hand over medical equipment procured under the Japanese grant for the Ministry of Health, in the presence of the Ministry of Health’s Secretary-General for Primary Health Care and Epidemics, Raed Shboul, and Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom, Okuyama Jiro, according to a statement for The Jordan Times.

In July 2020, the government of Jordan and the government of Japan signed an agreement under which Japan would provide Jordan with a grant of 400 million Japanese Yen (equivalent to about 2.6 million USD at the current exchange rate) to support the Ministry of Health’s efforts to combat COVID-19, and to provide medical equipment to support public health and strengthen the healthcare system, as part of the Kingdom’s Economic and Social Development Programme.

The grant aimed at enhancing the capacity of the Ministry of Health through the provision of medical equipment, such as digital radiography systems and CT scanners, which were distributed to 10 government hospitals across the Kingdom. This initiative contributed to Jordan’s fight against COVID-19 and its life-saving efforts, according to the statement.

Shaboul underscored the depth of historical relations between the two friendly countries, Jordan and Japan, as well as the existing cooperation in many areas of common interest, most notably cooperation in the health field.

Shaboul also expressed his gratitude to the government and people of Japan for the support provided to the Ministry, highlighting the positive impact of this support on strengthening the health system by supplying hospitals with medical equipment.

For his part, Japanese Ambassador Okuyama Jiro said, “This project was initiated between His Majesty King Abdullah II and Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in April 2020 to support Jordan’s fight against COVID-19 and life-saving efforts”. 

“The rapidly spreading COVID-19 had not only endangered human lives but also caused significant economic and social disruptions, impacting individuals globally,” he said. In response to this situation, the government of Japan has extended a grant which included digital radiography systems, CT scanners, central monitors, and bedside monitors, which were distributed to 10 hospitals across the Kingdom.